Running-board for motor-vehicles



F. SMITH.

RUNNING BOARD FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28. 1920.

Patented July 19, 1921..

2 SHEETS-SHEET I g a/ Q/ a 5 F. SMITH.

RUNNING BOARD FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB- 28, 1920.

' 1,385,232. Patented July 19,1921.

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RUNNING-BOARD FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented July 19, 1921.

Application flledjebruary 28, 1920. lerialli'o. 862,017.

To all whom it may concern":

Be it knownthat I, FREDERICK SMITH, of the city of London, in the county of Middlesex and Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Running- Boards for Motor-Vehicles; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

This invention relates to a running board for automobiles, motor trucks and vehicles of like character, in which the tread has a series of openings, taking the form of a per- .forate plate or an arrangement of parallel of suitable strength and rigidity with interstices between them, through which the dirt may conveniently pass to a, pan or shield located below the running board and so arranged as to prevent the dirt and water from the pavement passing upward through the interstices.

For an understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a plan view of a preferred type of running board made in accordance with this invention showing a luggage carrier attached.

Fig. 2, is a cross sectional view on the line a-a, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, is a detail elevational view of one of the luggage carrier members on a larger scale than the preceding Figs.

Fig. 4, is an elevational view of the luggage carrier member, this Fig. being at rlght angles to the preceding Fig, and

Fig. 5, is a cross sectional view of a modified form of the running board shown in Figs. 1 and 2. I

Like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the specification and drawm s.

In the preferred construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the running board consists of an open frame a of substantially rectangular shape and constructed preferably of angle iron comprising a horizontal flange a constituting the tread surface of the frame and a vertical flange a" togive it the necessary strength and rigidity, and provide a retaining surface for the correlated parts hereinafter described.

Contained between the sides of the frame and extending lengthwise thereof are a set of parallel bars 6 evenly spaced to form a corresponding number of interstices a, and

assing through the vertical flanges of the rame and through the parallel bars I) are bolts or cross bars 6' with intervening spacers e to hold the parallel bars in their spaced relation. The shape and dimensions of the running board will correspond with the particular type of motor vehicle on which it is to be used, and while it has been described as taking a rectangular shape with the bars 6 arranged in parallel relation, it is to be understood that the shape of the running board and the arrangement of the bars I) may be varied within the scope of the claims without departing from the principle of the invention.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, straps or cross pieces 9 are connected to the vertical flanges a" to rest upon the running board supporting brackets f suitably attached to some convenient part of the vehicle.

Below the running board is a pan or shield h, located as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, between the brackets f and the cross pieces or straps g, the purpose of which is to receive the dirt from the running board and to prevent the dirt, etc. from the roadway passing up through the interstices.

Where the pan or shield is placed between the running board and the supporting brackets, the cross pieces or straps rest on its top surface and form a separation between the side of the running board and the top surface of the pan or shield sufiicient for the removal of the substances thereon.

In Fig. 5, I have shown a modified form of the running board which in this case consists of a surrounding frame it", having a countersunk perforate bottom It, and on this bottom is a perforate mat j, constituting the tread surface of the running board. This bottom may take the form of a grating as in the preceding views with the bars Spaced closely enough to support the tread surface and open enough to provide for the dirt passing through it from the tread surface, or it may take the form of a woven wire structure, or a flat surface with apertures. Below this running board is placed a pan or shield (not shown) similar to that used in the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown a luggage carrier comprising two detachable members combined with the running board. One of the running board, and a hook 70 at its lower end to enter any one of the interstiees and engage a cross bar. The other of.

these members consists of a horizontal rm Z to rest on the top surface of the running board, this arm having at" its free end an offset terminating in a hook Z to engage a cross bar, and at its opposite end a vertical member Z extending above the top surface of the running board.

In attaching the luggage carriers to the running board the hooks are entered through the interstices to engage the cross bars, the horizontal arm Z resting on the tread surface andmaintainingthe vertical arm Z" in an upright position and the hook Z securely in engagement with the cross bar. v

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A running board for motor vehicles comprising a grilled tread, a solid bottom below the tread, and spacing members interposed between the bottom and the under side of the tread.

2. A running board for motor vehicles comprising a tread consisting of longitudinal members in spaced relation, a surrounding frame therefor, cross members arranged transversely to the longitudinal members to maintain their fixed relation, a solid bottom below the tread, and spacing members interposed between the bottom and tread.

London, Ontario, January 10th, 1920.

,FREDERlCK SMITH.

Signed in the bresence of- R. H. TURNBULL, LEONARD E. MILLS. 

